Meet the neighbours

Posted by Jenniffer Sheldon on Thursday, September 19, 2024

Heart's been chatting to some of the people who know Kate best in her home village of Bucklebury.

Martin Fidler from the Bladebone Butchery (pictured) in Chapel Row is going to the wedding with his wife Sue:

"We're very, very fortunate and feel very proud and privileged to know the family. They're a wonderful family, we've known them from the beginning when they first moved out here. Kate's such a bubbly, natural girl.

"Everybody is happy. Everybody in the whole area's got a smile on their face."

Local MP Richard Benyon will also be celebrating William and Kate:

"It's a great event for the country, but particularly for us here in West Berkshire. There's a lot of excitement. It's an opportunity for people who live here, for whom the Middletons are part of their life, so celebrate a very happy event.

I just hope it's a day to remember."

Simon Kelly is the landlord of the Bladebone Inn in Chapel Row where a big party is being held on the big day.

He's been telling Heart he has no idea how many people will be there:

"I don't know what to expect at the moment. It's something nobody can predict. It could be two-hundred people, it could be two-thousand, some people think it could be more.

"I think they're are having bets locally as to who's going to be right and who's going to be wrong. It's quite fun and quite amusing for us anyway!"

Lynda Tillotson, who runs a small interiors shop in the village, said the village has been buzzing in the run up to the big day.

"It's been very exciting in the last couple of weeks and as we get very close to the day, enormous excitement for everybody.''

In her shop window are trinkets marking the wedding, with signs saying "Congratulations'', "Mr and Mrs, Just Married'' and "Happily Ever After''.

"The Middletons are super people, a really lovely family and it's going to be great day - a big grand royal wedding,''

Other locals who'll be at Westminster Abbey include Hash and Chan Shingadia from Peaches Stores in Bucklebury and pub owner John Haley, from Kate's favourite pub the Old Boot Inn, in nearby Stanford Dingley.

Add your own good wishes by commenting below.

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